IAB Research Project Description

Lake Clark Moose Habitat/Parturition/Condition/Calf Survival Study

The moose population of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve appears to be of low-moderate density and have relatively low calf:cow ratios in fall. Brown bears are numerous in LCNPP and are suspected to be implicated in low calf:cow ratios. However, moose habitat quality has not been assessed and aerial photos of radio-collared female moose in native habitats suggests that winter forage availability may be low compared to high density areas such as GMU20A. Information concerning pregnancy and twinning rates and spring and fall body condition is somewhat fragmentary and equivocal. Differential sample area coverage and sampling intensity over the years has made identification of trends in any of the demographic estimates difficult.
This study will consist of four components:
1) Identify important winter habitats from an analysis of existing relocation data and GIS themes 1996-2000;
2) Assess the adequacy of winter habitat from estimates of forage availability, consumption, quality and moose diet;
3) Estimate the relationships among cow body condition in fall and spring and pregnancy, twinning rate and calf survival; and
4) Assess the adequacy of pre-existing and currently collected data to construct a simple population model of potential trajectories of the LCNPP moose population.